>>544955
> “… you know what, forget it. You can come with us.”
Just give up, Bom-Bom.
Damn, running a day I can't stay up for it huh. Oh well, I can make an hour or so at least.

>>544955
> “… you know what, forget it. You can come with us.”
No point trying to fight the tides.

>>544955
>“… you know what, forget it. You can come with us.”

>>545066
>>“… you know what, forget it. You can come with us.”

> “… you know what, forget it. You can come with us.”

You guess there’s no point in fighting it. Val is kind of cute anyway in that weirdo queer kind of way anyway. Maybe you can learn more from her, maybe she’ll be useful, maybe she’ll grow to like the Dodgers! “Fine, Val. You can come with us.” Val nods slightly. “Just uh… please, keep your distance. We’re kind of in a situation here.”

Val nods, bowing slightly to you. “I shall not be a burden.”

Anneliese quickly drags you away from Val for a quick talk. “Rana. A-… are you sure this is a good idea? She seems so…” Val looks at you, tilting her head. “She seems out there.”

“Well, I- I can’t just get rid of her!” you whisper loudly.

“Sure we can!” says Anneliese. “We have magic powers, we can get rid of anybody!” A passing banker looks at you two strangely. “What are you looking at!?” He quickly runs off. “See!”

“Look, we’ll see how it goes,” you say. “If it goes poorly, then you know who to blame.” Anneliese sighs, rubbing her nose. “First off, we need to find a phone and contact Operator #5. There should be one around here at least.” Anneliese nods, allowing you to take the lead. “But listen, make sure Val doesn’t listen in on us, okay?”

“I swear it!” Anneliese thumps her chest. “She won’t hear a thing.”

And with that, the three of you start moving around Grand Central Station to find a payphone. The great hub of New York is alive and bustling with people coming and going. The big trains are sliding in and pushing away, casting off like big ships into the ocean that is the United States of America! At least, that’s probably how Christine would describe it. You never were too familiar with trains as much as you were with cars, tanks, guns, planes, etc.

However, you do find a payphone against the wall. “There!” Anneliese hands you a quarter, and you hurry on over to use it. Val means to follow you, but Anneliese quickly grabs her wrist and turns her around. “Go find something to eat, I’ll catch up!” Annelies drags Val away, and Val continues to look at you as she’s pulled away.

Right, you slip the quarter then, hit the pound key and the five button. A unique dial tone is given to you.

Finally, he answers. “Operator #5.”

> OPERATOR #5 <
> The Head of the Strategic Service Office – Magical Affairs Branch <

“Operator #5, I have so much to tell you,” you say.

“Let me guess, a gang of mobsters led by some sort of magical apparition attempted to kill you last night and now you’re in New York trying to find safety and you’re going to ask me if I can recall Liberty and Lightning to help you.” That- how did he know? “I read the news, Bomber, it’s nothing new to me.”

[1/2]

>>545079
“So, you know what’s after me then,” you say.

“He’s called the Witch Doctor. He’s some form of wraith or spectre of some kind made of pure anti-magic.” You blink, then look to your wrist. You pull up your sleeve, and find the dark mark where he grabbed you to be growing a little bigger from last night. “We don’t know what he is specifically, but the Messengers have told me that he is to be avoided. I’d rather not risk Liberty attacking him. Physical contact with the Witch can result in severe magical deficiency.” Oh. Um. You stare at your hand. Oh God. “He grabbed you, didn’t he.”

“Yes,” you say softly.

You hear him groan a little. “Okay, Bomber. Listen, this is your job to do and yours alone. I won’t risk Liberty or Lightning against a foe like this. I have faith in you.” You nod slowly. Okay, just stay calm, stay calm. No need to worry. “It’s not like you’re going to die, but you’re going to feel the effects of anti-magic quite soon. Eventually, you’ll not be able to use magic at all.”

“How long?” you ask.

“Seven days,” he says. “That is what Kirby tells me.”

“D-… is there a cure?” you ask.

“If there were, I would’ve told you by now,” he says. Oh god no. You rest your head against the wall. No, not like this, please no. “… however, you and I do know somebody who might be able to cure this.”

“…” Oh God. “You don’t mean Gatsby do you?”

“I mean Gatsby,” he says. Gatsby, the Messenger who first granted you magical powers back when you were a little child. The two of you have a very rocky relationship at best. “I’m afraid Kirby and the others are not speaking terms with Gatsby, but I believe he is still in New York. He may even be somewhere in your old stomping grounds.” Great, just great. “Find Gatsby, he may be able to assist you.”

“Okay, thank you,” you say.

“And Bomber, I will pray for your safety. Good luck.” The phone goes dead.

You sigh, resting your head on the wall. No, no, not like this. Please God. You turn around- “AAH!” You yelp as Val is right behind you, inches away, her breasts even poking into your back slightly. “VAL! Don’t scare me like that!” You look to Anneliese, who’s hand is in a death grip on her wrist.

Anneliese pants, then tries to pull against Val. “She’s-… very insistent!”

Val smiles at you. “Where are we going?”

> To find Gatsby.
> To get breakfast and think on this.
> To the apartment to get comfortable.
> Other

>>545081
> To get breakfast and think on this.
Oh boy, more Messenger shenanigans huh.

>>545081
> Find Gatsby

>>545081
>To find Gatsby.
The sooner we find him the better

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>>545103
>To find Gatsby.

>>545081
> To find Gatsby.
Be wary of pools.

>>545108
Get outta here Leo.

> To find Gatsby.

You shove your hands in your pockets and sigh deeply. “Anneliese.” She steps up. “Listen, we need to find a… a friend of ours. He’s like Kirby but um.” You tilt your head side to side. How do you explain this? “He was the one that gave me my powers in the first place.”

“Really?” Anneliese smiles. “He should be most helpful then!”

“Um. For a given term.”

-

-

New York has a particular urban legend centering around an abandoned garage in Brooklyn. It sits in the shadow of several high rise buildings, off the main roads, the only real way to get in was over a dirty rotted fence. But the garage was there, it was where you lived for quite some time before you abandoned Gatsby and decided to hit the road. Kids, teens, and even mobsters swapped stories of this haunted garage, where a ghoul of a spirit thrives on parts and mechanical items. And those who do not sacrifice something mechanical in nature are never heard from again. Of course, you know the truth.

You never told Christine or Sumire about him, for really good reason.

And here the garage was, still fenced off. “Right,” you say. “Over the fence.”

Val blinks. “Why over?”

“Because it’s a fence,” you say. “You climb over-“ Val walks up to the fence, then pushes several boards over with just the palm of her hand. “… or you can just push the fence in. That’s fine too I guess.” You step past Val very warily, along with Anneliese, then lead the group up to the main door. You bend down, then grab the handle and pull it up.

Inside is a messy garage, filled with old parts, guns, and even some clothes and other particular shiny items. The hulk of a Model T lies in the middle, your old pet project back when you were a kid in fact. You smile a little seeing it. Anneliese steps in front of you, in case things go wrong. “Hello?” says Anneliese.

Suddenly, the lights turn on. Anneliese immediately retreats behind you, spooked. A ghostly shroud of the head of a Messenger appears before you over the wreck of the Model T. Kirby’s red eyes, these eyes glowed a variable green and blue, and featured an additional pair of eyes right below them. Gatsby’s eyes, how you remember them so well. “WHO GOES THERE!?” he yells, his voice booming across the garage. “DO YOU NOW KNOW THAT IS THE DOMAIN OF THE SHADOW!? UNLESS YOU SACRIFICE A MECHANICAL ITEM TO ME, I WILL BE FORCED TO CONSUME YOU! YOUR LIVE SHALL BE SPENT IN MY STOMACH BEING SLOWLY DIGESTED FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS WITH ALL OF YOUR SENSES BEING TUNED TO FEEL NOTHING BUT PAIN AND MORE PAIN!”

Wow. He’s gotten dramatic. Anneliese hides behind you, even Val balks a little at him.

> “That’s enough, Gatsby, it’s me.”
> Play along, throw him a gun or something.
> Walk inside and expose him.
> Other

>>545180
> “That’s enough, Gatsby, it’s me.”
Maximum exasperation, tinged with a little bit of disappointment.

>>545180
>“That’s enough, Gatsby, it’s me.”

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>>545180
>Walk inside and expose him.
Dumb magic cat

>>545180
>“That’s enough, Gatsby, it’s me.”

>>545180
> Play along, throw him a gun or something.

> “That’s enough, Gatsby, it’s me.”

“Gatsby.” His eyes turn to you, his giant eyes shining on your face. “It’s me, you can drop it.”

“… I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.”

“Gatsby.” You place your hands on your hips, giving him a very stern frown. This is absolutely ridiculous. Childish even! “Please.”

“BUT- oh fine.” The giant head pops into harmless clouds of smoke. Anneliese and Val both relax a little, stepping into the garage with you and following you around the Model T. Behind the Model T sitting in the backseat is the Messenger himself. Gatsby was a black smoke monster of some kind resembling a cat like Kirby. Except for the aforementioned four glowing eyes, and here you see his two tails, and floppy ears replacing the pointed ones of the usual Messengers. He climbs up onto the car door and looks up at you. “Bomber, my you have grown up.”

You motion to Gatsby. “Everyone, this is Gatsby.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintances.” His eyes zoom in on Val. “Yours especially.”

> GATSBY <
> A Messenger of Magic gone native <

Val steps back, a little frightened it seems. Gatsby looks to you. “Bomber, it’s been so long since we have seen each other. And you seem to have made new friends as well.” He tilts his head, wagging his twin-tails happily. “And I sense that you are hiding quite a lot of guns in your magical pocket as well! Perhaps I can see them?” You fold your arms. “You seem distressed.”

“Gatsby, I need your help.”

He holds up a paw. “First things first. I’d like to show you something.” He hops on down off the car then moves to the workbench. He grabs onto a chain hanging from the ceiling, then pulls down, switching on a light which reveals a wall full of guns of all types, pistols, rifles, machine guns. “I have been gather guns of all types in preparation for your return! I do believe you were the one to say that firearms were man’s finest invention!”

“Yes, I did but-“ You blink, then walk up to a Springfield 1903 with a strange magazine sticking out of it from an angle. “What the hell is this?”

“That is a Springfield Model of 1903 with a Pedersen Device!” he says. “You do not know how hard it was to get that.”

> SPRINGFIELD 1903 w/ PEDERSEN DEVICE <
> This Springfield has had its bolt replaced with a receiver allowing to accept a magazine carrying fourty .30 caliber pistol rounds, turning a fine bolt action rifle into a semi-automatic rifle for use in the trenches of the Great War. It was too late however to see combat. <

“Wow.” You blink, grinning at it. “This-“

“And it’s all yours!” he says. He points over to several other guns. “These are all yours as well.” Wow! A Colt Monitor and an M1918 BAR as well, along with… wait, you know what he’s doing. He’s bribing you. “Perhaps you would be partial to more experimental designs as well? I do happen to have a P08 Luger chambered for .45 ACP lying around somewhere.”

> Eh, play along. These are nice guns.
> “Gatsby, I really need your help.”
> Other

>>545266
>“Gatsby, I really need your help.”

>>545266
> “Gatsby, I really need your help.”
As much as I love obscure inter-war firearms, we kind of got a more urgent matter at hand.

>>545266
>> “Gatsby, I really need your help.”

>>545266
>Gatsby, I really need your help.”
We should tell him we ran into the witch doctor

>>545266
> “Gatsby, I really need your help.”
Let's get serious.

> “Gatsby, I really need your help.”

You place the Springfield on the workbench, careful not to dislodge the magazine. “Gatsby, listen to me. I really need your help.”

“Oh, something a bit more you then?” Oh for God’s sake. He flies up to the rack, then magically pulls off the rack a revolver. “This is a LeMat Revolver from the Civil War!” Oh goodness, that is a very cool revolver.

> LEMAT REVOLVER <
> A Civil War-era cap-and-ball revolver, popular amonst Confederate cavalrymen. It features a nine round cylinder, along with a very unique underbarrel one shot 20 gauge shotgun. <

Wait, no! “Gatsby!” He flinches, looking at you. “Gatsby. I need your help.” You pull up your sleeve, showing him your mark. A magical apparatus appears from his back, folding over his head, and revealing a telescoping eye which zooms in on the mark. “I’ve been touched by the Witch Doctor. I’m told you can help me.”

Anneliese steps up next to you with deep concern on her face. “Can you help her?”

“Hm.” He pulls the zooming apparatus back into his back then rubs his paw against his face. “I am afraid you have been Marked for Death.” WHAT!? “Relax, it’s not going to kill you. Instead, your magical ability is going to be sucked out over the next seven days until you are no longer able to be Magical Girl Bomber now or ever again.” Gee, that’s comforting.

“But you have a cure, right?” asks Anneliese.

“I didn’t say that,” says Gatsby. “Unfortunately, this may be beyond my capabilities.”

“Gatsby, please.” You fold your hands together, pleading to him. “You have to help me! Anything you need I can do it!”

“Hm…” He sits down on the bench, thinking on it. “Tell you what. Find me some candy from the store down the street, and we can talk it over.” Seriously? “What? I work better with sugar. Candy happens to be mankind’s second finest invention in my opinion below the firearm.”

Ugh.

> “Anneliese, could you go grab some candy? Lifesavers are Gatsby’s favorite.”
> “Fine, I’ll go. Everyone stay here.”
> “Forget that, help me now!”
> Other

>>545380
>“Fine, I’ll go. Everyone stay here.”

>>545380
> “Fine, I’ll go. Everyone stay here.”
Fucking cats.

>>545380
> “Fine, I’ll go. Everyone stay here.”
Now the question is, will we return to them all having been captured, or will we ourselves be captured?

>>545380
>Fine, I’ll go. Everyone stay here

>>545404
>will we ourselves be captured
Libby gets captured a whole lot, not sure if we're going to fare any better in that regard

> “Fine, I’ll go. Everyone stay here.”

“Fine, I’ll go.” You place your hands on your hips. “Anneliese, keep an eye things. Make sure Val doesn’t touch anything she shouldn’t, okay?” Anneliese nods. “I’ll be right back, okay?” You start walking out the door. “And Gatsby, you better have an idea once I get back! Because this candy stuff is absolutely childish!” But you do feel like a hankering for some Wrigley. Whatever, you’re not going to mention it to them.

“Fair enough, make sure you get the Lifesavers, those are my favorite!” You roll your eyes. Hmph, maybe you’ll come back without Lifesavers, see how he likes it!

-

-

You plop some Lifesavers, gum, and a bag of gummy bears as well onto the counter. The old man behind the counter of the candy store happily rings them up for you. “Don’t go rotting your teeth now, young lady!” You smile at him happily. You look over to see some kids with their mom and dad happily stuffing some candy into a bag to buy.

You stare a little too long. “Miss?” You blink, looking at the old man. He hands you your bag. You sigh, taking it. You drop the cash onto the counter. “Have a nice day!” You wave goodbye, then step out of the candy store. And with that, it’s time to dig into some Wrigley chewing gum and relax. The gum’s sweet taste invigorates you a bit. Even if it’s giving you cavities, you love a bit of gum just to relax.

Better than smoking anyway. One thing that Hitler guy has right, smoking’s terrible, you can’t stand it.

You decide to give it a few minutes and stand in the alleyway next to the shop. You lean back against the wall, letting people pass you by. It’s not a particularly busy day it seems. Suddenly, your stomach growls a little. Oh, you missed breakfast, that’s right. Dang it. You’ll need to get some later.

“’Scuse me.” You blink, then turn to your side to see a boy just about your size smiling at you. He tips his flat cap to you, dusting his dirty vest and shirt off. “You Rana Scott?” Huh? Who’s this guy? He reaches behind his belt, then pulls out a pistol on you, a Browning Hi-Power. “The Speranza family sends their regards.” Oh shi-

Click.

You and him look at the gun. “Oh fuck.” He looks at the gun for a second. “Hey, hey, just stand there for a sec, shiksa, these pistols don’t usually jam on me.”

> RUN
> PUNCH HIM
> “That’s okay, take your time.” Then punch him.
> Other

>>545508
>Other
Want a piece of gum?

>>545508
>> “That’s okay, take your time.” Then punch him.

>>545508
>“That’s okay, take your time.” Then punch him.

>>545508
>Other
Offer to take a look at his gun for him.

>>545508
> Other
"Did you make sure you cocked it first? Hi-Powers don't have a double action trigger, gotta pull back the hammer first."
Then punch him while he checks.

>>545508
> “That’s okay, take your time.” Then punch him.
And it's finally time for me to say night. Thanks for writing GS!

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>>545532
Bye anon

> Other

You nod. “That’s okay, take your time.” Not the most conventional assassination you’ve experienced but you’ll take it! He checks his gun over, trying to figure out what’s wrong. You did see what was wrong however, a very amateur mistake if you’re honest. You decide to point it out to him’ “Did you make sure it’s cocked? The Hi-Power isn’t a double action, you have to pull back the hammer before you fire.”

“Oh.” He blinks, looking at the hammer.

Then you punch him square in the face. “Ah!” He falls over, dropping the gun. He groans, holding his nose. Before he can grab his gun however, you pick it up for yourself, then pull back the hammer and point it right between those pretty little eyes of his. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait!” He holds out his hands. “Y- you don’t wanna kill me!”

“You just tried to kill me!” you say back.

“Well I failed! That’s gotta count for something!” he says. HE WHAT!?

“Give me two reasons why I shouldn’t just kill you.”

He blinks, then points upward to the street. “There are people passing by.” A few people pass on by. “And… if you kill me, the Speranza Family is not gonna be happy. They’s a very influential family in New York!”

“How come I’ve never heard of them then?” you ask.

“That’s how they get you!” he says. “You never hear of them, suddenly you’re hearing of them!” … This guy is a complete idiot. “Look, you’re not gonna kill an unarmed man right?”

“You’re not even a man!” you say loudly. “You’re…” To be completely frank, you’d be surprised if he was as old as you were. Dang it, that makes this harder! Ugh! Why would the Mafia send youngsters after you!? Are they that desperate!? “Come on. Have a heart,” he says. “J-… just lemme go. I won’t come after ya, promise.” He nods, smiling a bit, showing off a cavity or two in his front teeth. “Yeah?”

> “Get out of here.”
> “You’re coming with me.”
> Shoot him
> Other

>>545615

> Shoot him

>>545615
>> “You’re coming with me.”

>>545615
>“You’re coming with me.”

>>545615
> Other
"I'm sure you won't"
Shoot him in the foot.

>>545615
>You’re coming with me
what would libby say if she found out we killed a kid?

> “You’re coming with me.”

“You’re coming with me.” You grab his collar then throw him up to a standing position. “Keep your hands up. We’re going someplace where I can ask you a couple of questions.”

“Questions?” He looks at you funny. “Kind of questions you wanna know? Figured you’d have all the questions answered right now by shooting me!” Is he really complaining that you DIDN’T SHOOT HIM? Ugh, such typical Jewish behavior! You plant the gun into his back. “Okay, okay, I’m moving. Oy vey, you know you shouldn’t be planting the barrel point blank like that into my back, you might accidentally shoot me.”

“Yeah, accidentally.”

-

-

Anneliese and Val greet you by opening up the garage door. “Christine!” Anneliese squints at you and the boy. “Who’s this?”

“My newest friend,” you say. “Get some rope and a chair.” Anneliese nods, quickly tying the boy’s hands down with some spare lengths of chain. She plants him down onto a chair next to the Model T, then shuts the garage door. Val stands over him, shading him with her sheer presence.

The boy looks up at Val, then over at you and Anneliese. “Er. So… is this like an interrogation or an insemination?” A what? Anneliese blushes a little, planting her hands on her cheeks. Wait. OH. Wow. Really. “What can I say?” He shrugs, smirking. “I go to the library.”

Val looks at you. “Who is this?”

“Some idiot that tried to kill me outside of the candy shop,” you say. “Working for the Speranza family.”

“And don’t you forget it, shiksa!” He leans back. “’sides, the Family will come back for me. If not them, then rest of Murder Inc. too.” Really? “I mean, I’m not officially a member of Murder Inc. and I am just a little man for the Family but rest assured they’ll be back for me once they find out I’m missing!” That could be a while. A long while.

You sigh. You honestly don’t have time for this.

> Go find Gatsby. At least he isn’t revealing himself to people randomly.
> Interrogate him. Why do the Speranzas want you dead?
> Take a break and leave him to hang, you’re starving anyway.
> Other

>>545716
> Go find Gatsby. At least he isn’t revealing himself to people randomly.
Ask Val to watch him, by the time we're done he should be creeped out enough to be more pliable.

>>545716
>Go find Gatsby. At least he isn’t revealing himself to people randomly.

>>545716
>Take a break and leave him to hang, you’re starving anyway.
Maybe try to get Annie and Val to soften him up for you

> Go find Gatsby. At least he isn’t revealing himself to people randomly.

“I’m going to go find Gatsby.” You point to Anneliese and Val. “You guys, soften him up for me.” The boy leans back, looking at the two of them. And with that you turn away and start walking towards the garage offices.

“Hey, you’re not seriously going to torture me are you?” asks the boy.

“We might, depends on how cooperative you are,” says Anneliese.

“Well uh… don’t press your boobs against my face, that’s my weakness. Yep, no, no. Can’t stand it, can’t stand it all, oy vey, it’s uh… it’s a very acute weakness of mine.” Val and Anneliese glance at each other. Val starts unbuttoning her blouse before Anneliese slaps her hand away.

-

-

“Gatsby.” You step into Gatsby’s room, marked with a star with wings around it. His office is covered in old parts, tools, metal scraps, an absolute hoard of items that he can do without to be honest. He presses a rod into a bolt, trying to figure out how it goes together it seems. You were always the one that knew how things worked compared to him after all. “Gatsby!” He turns around, looking at you, then you drop the Lifesavers down on the desk.

He immediately digs in and tears the packaging apart, swallowing up the sweet hardy candy. “Yes! Finally, candy! I love candy!”

“Right, enough playing around,” you declare. “Tell me you have a way to fix this.”

He spits out some of the wrapping, then takes a look at your arm. “Hm… well, to be perfectly honest, I have very few options as to how to fix it. It’s never been done before! The Witch Doctor is our anti-thesis. We don’t know where or how or even when he came from, and we simply have very little to stop him.” You fold your arms. That’s not good enough. “Though, perhaps, if you were to do another job for me, I could-“

“Gatsby.” You place your hands on your hips, glaring him down. “I swore I would never work with you again.” He tilts his head. “Not after what happened.”

“… very well,” he sits on his butt. “Perhaps I do have a solution, but it is a very logistically difficult one.”

“What is it?” you ask.

“I require a Jewel of Eternity,” he says. “You know what those are right?” Of course you do. The Jewels of Eternity are like ancient power cells of the Messengers. Almost limitless clean energy, one Jewel the size of a baseball could power all of New York for centuries! Of course this is offset by their rarity, almost non-entity status in fact. “If you can find me one, I may be able to build a machine powerful enough to reverse your infection. Enough magic in one place can reverse anti-magical effects, a sort of brute force if you will.”

“I see. There is one problem though,” you say. “We don’t have a Jewel of Eternity.”

[1/2]

>>545885
“Not necessarily,” says Gatsby. He pops a scrapbook out of his back and places it down in front of you. “See, Jewels of Eternity all look different, some big, some small, some wide, some thin. He opens a page to a particular diamond, one glowing a brilliant silver grey-ish, cut to perfection in a hexagonal shape for a necklace. “Do you recognize this jewel?”

“That’s the Vienna Diamond.”

“46.62 carat. On the surface, it looks like any other diamond, perhaps exceptional in size and quality. On the inside, it is a Jewel of Eternity. And it happens to be here in New York. I happen to listen in on phone conversations, some legal, some illegal.” He tilts his head smugly. “It’s on auction.”

“How come I’ve not heard of this auction?” you ask.

“It’s not strictly speaking legal,” he says. Oh great, black market auctions. “It’ll be held in a former speakeasy underneath a relatively prestigious hotel nearby, some streets down. You probably recognize it, this used to be your home after all. Don Giuseppe Speranza and several of his subordinates will be in attendance, along with other small time crime families, maybe even a few other unmentionables.”

“If you’re thinking I’m going to take the chance…” You lean towards him. “You’ve got another thing coming.”

“Fair enough. The auction will be held tonight conveniently, and it will be your best chance to cure this infection of yours. As for how you will get in, I will leave to your discretion.”

Hm. You can do auctions. Christine can do formal, you can too!

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>>545889
That's it for tonight, we'll pick things up tomorrow. Hope you all enjoyed.

Follow at: https://twitter.com/GermanSchteel
Ask at: http://germanschteel.tumblr.com/
Book Tumbles: http://germanschteelbookblog.tumblr.com/

See you next time.

>>545895
Thanks for running Schteel, catch you tomorrow.

You gathered Val, Anneliese, and Gatsby into one of the spare rooms where you decide to discuss the caper. “Okay everyone.” Val and Anneliese sit down on some spare chairs, while Gatsby elects to sit on your shoulder for the duration of the meeting. “Here’s what we’re going to do. The Vienna Diamond’s auction is being held tonight at the former speakeasy beneath this lavish hotel. We’re going to grab it, and we’re going to do it my way. Got it?”

Anneliese asks, “How are we doing this?”

“Simple. I will disguise myself as a waitress. Anneliese you can handle my disguise. I will attempt to sneak in, and blend in with the staff. See, these auctions are usually bigwig affairs, sort of like politicians meeting politicians. It isn’t just some swapmeet garage sale liquidation thing. There’s formality to it! And that means as the most formal here-“

Gatsby raises his ear. “Question. Why are we not sending Val?”

“What?” you blink.

He points to Val, who is still dressed as if she walked out of antebellum South Carolina. “She is the most formally dressed here, and is the most graceful person here as well.”

“Excuse me?” You pout at Gatsby. “I- I can be formal and er… like a woman like Val! Val uh… Val can be our getaway driver! You know how to drive a car right?” Val tilts her head. “You know, automobile? Four wheels, engine, steering wheel?”

Val tilts her head to the other side. “Why do you require automatic vehicles for transportation when you have perfectly good legs?” You- what. What?! Oh forget it. Even Anneliese looks a little confused at that. “I apologize, please continue.”

“Okay.” You hold up your hands. “Don Giuseppe Speranza is going to be there as well. He’ll want the diamond I assume?” You look at Gatsby, and he nods to confirm your theory. “So we’ll need to figure out a way to get it before he can get his grubby little greaseball hands on it. Now I propose that Anneliese blend in with the crowd as well, and-“

Val raises her hand. “Question.” You sigh, then motion to Val. “Why do you not just storm the place and kill everybody and attempt to take the diamond by force?” You and Anneliese glance at each other.

“Er. Val, that would generate a lot of attention,” says Anneliese. “We have to be subtle about this.”

“Ah, I see. Stealth.” Val nods, satisfied. “Continue.”

“Right, once we’re inside. We grab the diamond before anyone suspects a thing. Then we bail, and meet back here. Any questions?”

Val raises her hand. “What do you intend to do with the prisoner?” The prison- OH. The boy! You forgot about him!

“Is he still here?” you ask.

“Ja.” Anneliese sighs, folding her arms. “He almost convinced Val here that his one weakness was having boobs pressed against his face.”

“Asphyxiation would be effective torture,” says Val.

“What do we do with him?” asks Anneliese.

> “I’ll talk to him, hold on.”
> “Let him go, we don’t have much use for him.”
> “We’ll turn him into our personal Trojan horse.”
> Other

>>548016
> “We’ll turn him into our personal Trojan horse.”

>>548016
>Just leave him here and get on with the plan.

>>548016
> we'll turn him into our personal Trojan horse

> “We’ll turn him into our personal Trojan horse.”

“We’ll turn him into our personal Trojan horse. If that boy is in league with the Speranza Family, then perhaps he will be able to get us inside the hotel without too much fuss.” You place your hands on your hips. “Everyone clear on that?” Everyone nods. “Good. Now, give me a minute to talk with our guest, will you?”

-

-

“Get ya into the auction?” he asks. “Do I look like some kind of schmuck to you? I’m not gonna help just anybody get into that auction, especially nobody the Speranzas want dead. So you can kindly piss off, young lady.”

You sigh, sitting on a chair across from him. “What’s your name?”

“I got lots of names,” he says quickly. You roll your eyes. That Omerta thing the mob practices is gonna be a pain to work around. “Some guys call me Kid, some guys call me Boy, this nice lady, Polish, she calls me honey.” He shrugs, smirking at you. “It could be any one of them.”

“Look, you’re not in any room to argue with me,” you say. “I could shoot you right now.”

He huffs. “You ain’t got the guts.” He-…

…

He’s completely right, you don’t have the guts! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it to hell! You sigh, taking your candy bag and pulling out some Lifesavers. You pop a few in your mouth, grimacing even as their sweet juices start melting onto your tongue. How do you convince this boy to work with you? How do you reach out to such a trouble youth whose only real influence in the world is the organized crime families? How did the United States get to such a state that it allows boys like him to be-

You see him staring at your candy bag, a bit of drool hanging over his bottom lip.

Oh ho ho ho. “You like candy, don’t you?” The smug tone is just dripping from your mouth.

He catches himself, then leans back in his seat. “I don’t give a shit about candy. Candy’s for kids.”

“How old are you?” you ask.

“Twenty.” You start to put the bag away into your purse. “Okay! Okay! Uh… I’m fourteen.” Wow. Really? “Yeah, I’m a little young I guess. But that- that don’t mean I like candy or nothing, you just- uh um…” He stares at the candy bag. “Wh- Um. Uh.” You hover the bag of candy in front of his face.

“Come on.”

“Y- if you think I’ll bite for just-“ He blinks, biting his lip so intensely you’d swear he split it in half. “C-...”

“I’ll give you some candy, and all the candy you want,” you say. “If you help us.”

“B- but.” He looks frantic. “I mean-“ He tries to stay cool, but it seems the allure of having a bit of fresh candy is too much for him. “What do you want?”

> “Get us into the hotel.”
> “Get me close to Don Speranza.”
> “I’ll tell you when we get there.”
> Other

>>548108
> “Get us into the hotel.”
We can do the rest, ez.

>>548118
Hmmm, not many anons around on a Friday apparently.

>>548108
>> “Get us into the hotel.”

>>548108
> “Get us into the hotel.”
Personally I'm slightly disappointed that turning him into a Trojan Horse didn't involve wearing his skin as a disguise, but I suppose nothing's perfect.

> “Get us into the hotel.”

You drop a Lifesaver onto his lap, and he leans over to try to snap it up in his mouth. The chains however hold him back. “Get us into the hotel, and I can get you more candy, alright?” He looks up, sweating intensely, then nods slowly. “Good!” You smile, standing up. “It’s settled then.” Anneliese and Val walk into the room. “We’ll grab some lunch, get some clothes, then we’ll get ourselves a nice little diamond.”

-

-

You were careful to watch what you say around the Boy, mostly because he like a lot of other civilians are not aware of the existence of magic. Sure, some theorize that it exists, but it’s mostly dismissed as crockery. As the sunset fell on New York, you, Anneliese, Val, and the Boy stood across from the hotel. “Gotta say, ladies, you all look nice,” says the Boy. Val was wearing the outfit she wore since you met her last night. But you and Anneliese? You broke out all the stops.

You wear a long black dress, with a nice window for your bosom, with white elbow length gloves, topped off with a dark grey cape. Your hair was curled down and wavy, along with some pretty red lipstick and a bit of touching up to the cheeks (all in the name of obscuring your appearance, at least from a distance. You haven’t figured out how Christine does her disguises yet.) As for Anneliese, she wears a dark green dress with a thick greatcoat draped around her shoulders, and a wide hat to shade her appearance as well. All in all, you two were dressed for the occasion. “So, what about me?” asks the boy. “How do I look?”

The boy was simply wearing some simple shoes, brown slacks, a white shirt with an open brown vest, and a flat cap. That was about it.

“Eh,” you declare. He rolls his eyes. “Just get us into the hotel.”

“Alright.” He crunches some candy. “But listen, if Don Speranza catches you, I was never part of this, you hear?”

“No promises,” you say.

“Attagirl.” He winks at you, snapping his finger. You roll your eyes. Ugh. Swarmy little… He leads you into the Hotel, into the lavish front office where a clean cut man in a suit sits behind a desk. “Hey there, we’re checking in. It’s a lovely day, innit?”

The man nods. “Looks like it’ll rain though.”

[1/2]

>>548229
“Guess I need an umbrella then,” says the boy. The man quirks his brow at him, then at you three. “They’s with me, don’t worry. Friends of mine.” The man nods, whistling the negro bellhop to lead you on. He motions you four to follow him. You follow the negro down into a hallway past the front office, down into darker and darker hallways into finally you come up to a wall adorned with a painting of Alexander Hamilton. He knocks twice on the wall, and a little slot opens next to the painting.

“They’s here for the auction,” says the negro. The slot closes, and a little door opens for the four of you. “Mind yourselves now, masters.” A large Italian man wielding a Colt Single Action Army on his belt greets you at the secret door, and motions you down the steps to a large security door.

“Hey uh…” The boy nudges you. “Before we get inside.” You look at him. He rubs his fingers together. “Ey?”

You frown at him. “Now?”

“Hey, I ain’t sticking round if you’re gonna shoot up the misters.”

“We’re not going to-“ You look at the Italian man, who’s busy reading the paper. You whisper to him. “Listen, we need a guide in there. Just for a little bit, then you can go.”

“I- I dunno,” he says. “This feels kind of scummy.” Wow, a Murder Inc hopeful is calling this scummy.

> “Fine, leave. See if I care.”
> Pout at him.
> Bribe him with candy.
> Other

>>548233
> Bribe him with candy.
"Says the wannabe mobster, now take the damn candy and show us around."

>>548233
> Bribe him with candy.
We got more right?

>>548233
>> Bribe him with candy.

>>548229
>> Bribe him with candy.

> Bribe him with candy.

You plop a bag of candy into his hand. “How about now?” He looks down, then immediately starts stuffing his face with the gummy bears and Lifesavers. “Good Christ, man.”

“I really like candy, okay!?” he says with his cheeks full to burst. “Fine, I’ll lead you in.” He opens the door for you.

Inside is the absolutely glowing and lavish hall of a speakeasy. Once an establishment for smuggling and serving illegal booze to the public, now it serves as a meeting place for the unmentionables of New York. Here, many men in suits and women in dresses walk with wine glasses in hand, eating fine foods, taking a look at the auction catalog. Soft jazz music plays in the background as you all walk in to only a few people noticing your presence. Yep, you blend in just fine.

The boy nudges you. “See up there.” You look over at the front table, where items for sale are presented. Among them is the Vienna Diamond, sitting nice and pretty in the middle, and for the high price of 50k. Who even has that kind of money? “There’s your diamond.” He points to the large, both in height and weight, man standing next to it, guarded by tall men in trenchcoats. “And that there, is Don Giuseppe Speranza.”

“Care to introduce us?” you ask.

“I can’t just introduce you to the Don!” he hisses. “There- there’s… ritual to it. You’re not like- part of this thing we got you know?” Of course not. “And then there’s the whole idea of me bringing random girls to this auction and- and-“

“Kiril.” The four of you freeze, then you look to see the Don himself walking over with a very big smile on his face. “Kiril, what are you doing here, my boy?” The boy whose name is apparently Kiril stands absolutely stiff as a board.

> DON GIUSEPPE SPERANZA <
> Head of the Speranza Crime Family <

“Don Speranza.” He bows to him, smiling nervously. “I- it’s a honor that you’d-“

“Oh, forget honor, my boy. I see you’ve brought quite the selection tonight…” He looks at you three, you and Val especially. Anneliese steps in behind you, sort of skeptically glaring at Don Speranza. He rubs his hand down his grey suit, smirking a bit. “I didn’t think a young man like you could bring in some fine little dames like these.”

“Th- thanks.” Kiril nods to him. “Er- uh-“

“Tell me.” Don Speranza leans over to you. “How much did Kiril pay you three to accompany him, I know the boy tries to act twice his age to fit in, ha!”

> “A lot.”
> “Nothing, we just think he’s handsome.”
> “Oh, if anything, he dragged us here.”
> Other

>>548343
> Other
"He's actually quite the charmer, now I see where he gets it."
HONEYPOT ACTIVATE!

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>>548343
>“Nothing, we just think he’s handsome.”
But that might be a bit too outrageous to work

>>548343
> “A lot.”

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>>548350
That's a terrible idea Erika.

>>548343
>> “Oh, if anything, he dragged us here.”

>>548343
>> “A lot.”

> “A lot.”

You shrug. “A lot.” Don Speranza wheezes a little in laughter, looking to his guards who also give a snicker at Kiril’s expense. He then proceeds to wrap his arms around your shoulder and Val’s as well.

“Come on, lemme give yous the tour,” he says. He starts walking with the two of you to the front, leaving Anneliese and Kiril behind. You look back to see Anneliese actually be kind of offended that he’s not taking to her apparently, while Kiril apparently is trying to tell the Don that you’re not there for a good reason but failing to do so. Hopefully he keeps his mouth shut. “This particularly room here happens to be Speranza family property, we’ve owned it since 1922. It’s been through quite a career, and even with the Feds legalizing booze again, we still find uses for it every now and again. Girls like you find themselves here, maybe some palookas trying to test their luck at the poker tables too.”

“I see,” you say.

He stops, then points to the Vienna Diamond. “See that Diamond there. They say it’s got an air of electricity round it. And I want that dang thing for myself. I can see my reflection in it, pretty reflection, yours too, real pretty reflections.” You nod, squinting at the Diamond. To be frank, yeah, you do feel a sense of electricity just standing near it. It shimmers and glows beneath the soft lighting.

A mobster walks up to the Don. “Boss. It’s Vercetti, he’s on the phone, says it’s something urgent.”

“Tell him I’m busy,” says Don Speranza. “I got a couple of girls here need a tour guide!” He brings you two closer to his chest. You try your best to smile but Jesus Christ you can see where this is going. To her credit, Val doesn’t seem to be reacting too much at all to anything.

“He insists, Boss,” says the mobster. He leans in, whispering in the Don’s ear, loud enough for you to hear in fact. “It’s dat freak with the mask. Says the hit on that little girl didn’t work. A couple guys got dead.” Don Speranza’s jolly attitude seems to drop, then he sighs deeply.

“Girls, I’m sorry, I gotta cut this short.” He lets you two go. “But listen, once I’m done with my business, I’ll treat you two to some drinks, we can talk. I’m fully prepared to listen your life stories, hm?” He smirks, nodding to you before leaving with his goon.

You look to the Vienna Diamond. It’s sitting beneath a thick glass case, guarded by a pair of mobsters as well. Hm.

> Rally back with Anneliese quick.
> Grab the Diamond now, they’re just mobsters.
> Go follow the Don, see if you can eavesdrop a bit.
> Other

>>548411
> Rally back with Anneliese quick.
Play it safe, girls.

>>548411
>> Go follow the Don, see if you can eavesdrop a bit.
If asked, we got lost while on our way to powder our nose.

>>548411

> Go follow the Don, see if you can eavesdrop a bit.

>>548411
>Grab the Diamond now, they’re just mobsters.

>>548411
>> Go follow the Don, see if you can eavesdrop a bit.

> Go follow the Don, see if you can eavesdrop a bit.

You motion for Val to stay where she is, and then get going. Val proceeds to follow you. Oh for heaven’s sake. Forget about it, you’re not going to convince her otherwise. You start walking through the crowd of mobsters and gangsters with women of most likely the oldest profession in the book. You follow the Don through a hallway, where a few goons are guarding the way in. “Hey, lady, no entry.”

Val steps up to them. “Not even for me?” she asks. She tugs on her blouse a bit, showing a bit of skin to them. One of them whistles admirably, then steps aside. Wow, that actually worked. The two of you keep stalking the Don. Finally, you see him standing the hall, with a man holding a phone cable for him.

“… and you’s telling me, that you somehow couldn’t kill a little girl and her little kraut friend, that it? That’s your story, Tommy?”

“I’m telling ya, boss. It was the Shadow! We saw her change right before our eyes! Gunned down Louie! And you shoulda seen that kraut too! Fuck me!” The mobster over the phone is loud enough for you to hear thankfully as you hide behind a column and a pot of plants with Val. “That freak almost had her though. He tells us she’s marked or some shit like that. Says that whatever it was, she’s not gonna be no Shadow for very long.”

“And where is she now?” he asks.

“I got boys covering every road in and outta the city now. We think she mighta taken the train or something into the city. Kiril called me up says he had her but he didn’t call me back.”

“I just saw that little snotnosed brat. He said he bumped her?”

“He said he had her, I heard nothing about whacking.”

“Alright. Okay, forget about covering the roads out. She’ll be after me, that’s for sure.” You feel a strange sensation down your spine, a familiar one. “And maybe I oughta fit Kiril a pine overcoat too. Damn shame but that little brat couldn’t give the icepick to a fly. Vercetti, you get me some muscle down from Jersey and Yonkers, we’s gonna needs some firepower.”

“You got it, boss.”

“Right, get to work.” He slams the phone down, and lets the man return to its original spot. Speranza then pulls out a cigar from his pocket and starts lighting up.

Right, you’ve probably heard enough. “Hey, boss!” One of the mobsters comes from behind you. “They’s starting the auction!” Oh damn it! Speranza turns around, then sees you two with wide eyes of surprise. “You coming or what?”

“Yeah, yeah.” He walks up to you two, giving you a two a very intense glare. “How much you girls hear?”

> “Enough.”
> “Nothing.”
> “We were just lost.”
> Other

>>548466
>> Other
We weren't even here. Right, Val?

>>548466
>“We were just lost.”
Where's the bathroom?

>>548466
> “Enough.”
I suspect we've been made or very soon will be. Might as well make our move before Creepy von Gasmask shows up. Nab the diamond and get out.

>>548472
>>548466

This.

"What are you talking about? You were just having a relaxing smoke break, right?"

>>548466
>>548472
Sure, might as well try.

> Other

“What are you talking about? We weren’t even here. Right, Val?”

Val says, “Actually, we-“ You slap your hand over Val’s mouth, silencing her. The Don glances at Val, then back at you.

You smile at him. “You were just having a smoke, mister.”

After a minute of careful scrutiny, he nods. “Right, right.” He bites gently on the end of the cigar, taking a drag off it before puffing some smoke into the air. “Hm. Well, come on, girls. We’s got an auction to attend. I got my eyes on a big prize.” You walk on either side of him, trying to look like some showgirl out of Broadway. Back into the main bar with you, and there the crowd gathers around the front. One of Don Speranza’s goons hands him a placard to hold up to place a bid.

“Alright, everyone.” A man with a monocle stands at the podium, happily greeting everybody. “Thank to you his most honorable Don Giuseppe Speranza for sponsoring this little get-together. Everybody’s here to spend a bit of cash for a little bit of eye candy, so let’s not delay, alrighty? Let’s start placing our bids. First lot, the Vienna Diamond!” The crowd oohs and aahs as it’s brought forth to be shown. “46 carat, lovely necklace for the misses. Bidding starts at fifty-thousand!” Don Speranza quickly holds up his sign. “I got 50, do I have 51? 51? I see 51! 52! 53! Do I see 54!?”

As this happens, Kiril walks up next to the Don. “Hey, Don.” Don Speranza looks over at him. “Don Speranza. Th- there’s something I need to tell you!”

“Can it wait, boy?” He holds up his bid and raises it to fifty-six thousand.

“I don’t think it can…” says Kiril. “Look- I-“

> Throw candy at Kiril.
> “Uh, mister! I would really love that Diamond!”
> “Buzz off, brat.”
> Other

>>548528
>> Throw candy at Kiril.
Good puppy!

>>548528

> Twist his arm, bring him down to one knee.
> Pop a piece of candy in his mouth.
> "Just let the Mr. finish his bidding, okay?"

>>548528
>> Throw candy at Kiril.

>>548528
> Other
Take a deep breath, brace our self for a fight.

> Throw candy at Kiril.

You reach into your bag and toss some Lifesavers at him. “Ah!” He quickly catches them, hurries to pop them into his mouth. “If you think you can just bribe me with…” He crunches on the Lifesavers, glaring holes into you. “If you think you can just bribe me with Lifesavers, you got another thing coming!”

“Kiril.” Don Speranza pushes Kiril away. “Go away.”

“But, there’s-“ Don Speranza gives Kiril a very fierce stinkeye, which silences him. He steps back, holding his hands up in respect. “My apologies.” He starts to step away. Then he turns around. “But!” Don Speranza stomps his foot, and Kiril quickly takes off.

Don Speranza sighs. “He gets me so mean, I end up hollering at him. Shame, his father and mother were such nice members of the Jewish community. I guess talent skips a generation.” You do feel kind of bad for him. But at least he’s not out to rat you out, the little snitch.

Anneliese tugs on your arm, and you look to her. “I gotta talk with my friend here.” The Don nods, letting you leave. He instead pulls Val a bit closer, holding up his sign to bid upwards of 60,000 dollars now. “What is it, Anneliese?”

“Gatsby’s here, something’s wrong he says,” Anneliese explains. “He says the back exits aren’t occupied by guards. And there aren’t any cops patrolling for over half a mile around this place!” So? Wait. Wait. No cops, missing guards. “I think we need to grab the Diamond and quick.”

“Okay, okay. I was hoping I could play the honey trap though,” you say.

Anneliese squints at you. “You hate playing the honey trap though.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m good at it for some reason,” you say. You genuinely don’t know why everyone thinks you’re so attractive. You’re just a girl. “Look, let’s just-“ You hear some pops up from the hallway where you first entered into the speakeasy. Gunfire. Oh no. A few heads turn in confusion.

The auctioneer holds up his hands, trying to reassure everyone. “Relax, relax everybody.” A few Speranza mobsters pull out their guns, looking around. “It’s probably just a car backfiring, nothing to be worried about! Don Speranza, your bid?”

Suddenly, the metal door guarding the room flies open. The big Italian man guarding the door with his Colt SAA flops down to the ground, holes in his back. Stepping in are several trenchcoated men wielding Thompsons. “Don Speranza!” Stepping in behind them was one hulking man. “The Soriano camorra sends its regards!” He trains down an M1919 Browning LMG on the crowd.

Oh boy.

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>>548609
That's it for tonight. I'm out of steam and I'm gonna save up some energy for LGA2. Hope you all enjoyed.


Follow at: https://twitter.com/GermanSchteel
Ask at: http://germanschteel.tumblr.com/
Book Tumbles: http://germanschteelbookblog.tumblr.com/

See you next time.

>>548610
Thanks for running Schteel

>>548610
Thanks for running Schteel. Now to face the dilemna: Wake up at 5 to get in the LGA 2 thread in time to vote vacation day, or leave it to anons. RIP sleep.

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>>548609
That's... not good.

>>548616
It's okay anon, all work and no play makes Ellie a lewd girl.

>>548625
> Elodie
> Lewd
NEVER! Really though, we need the time to do prep for Saturday's show match. I'd like to surprise Griselda with Tessa and Athena returning for the match, which will require some hard selling on our part (might be impossible but I'd really like to try, it would be good for both her performance and state of mind), sort out a plan, interact with and get acquainted with our Kursk and Gloriana players etc.

>>548638
She's just in denial because she doesn't want to be a teen mom.

She can't resist forever if she can't get pregnant, like with Winona or Griselda!

>>548788
Nah, only acceptable romance for Elodie is Jeep Jockey. There just isn't really any chemistry with Nona and Gris is just trying to waifu us because she's a Pool and that's what they do.

>>548609
Finally figured out what Speranza was a callback to. Growup, Magical girls!